No Longer the Same: Chapel and Chaplaincy in Independent Schools, CSEE 2024
EXCERPT FROM THE PREFACE
When I first walked onto campus as a Chaplain in 2005, I expected to significantly benefit from my earlier professional incarnations.
After completing a Masters of Theology delving into management system theory and the common good, I entered the corporate world through a consultancy firm led by remarkably talented individuals at the height of their careers in organizational change and development. Their credentials opened doors into private and public institutions that were grappling with the role values played in their corporate lives. I was invited to share thoughts on ethics at conferences for professional associations and around tables arranged by non-profits. Through these connections, I found myself facilitating contentious conversations that often delved into the deeper purpose of organizations and the individuals leading them.
Eventually I was drawn back into the Church, where I spent time in congregations on an interim basis, assisting communities through staff conflicts, accusations of embezzlement, murky clergy departures, and pastoral sexual misconduct.
These experiences also positioned me to serve on Boards, where my role often focussed on governance as we moved from operational responsibilities to policy models.
Through most of these years, I remained closely connected to work with children and youth, which had been a constant in my life. My own participation in youth groups eventually led to serving as president for my denomination’s provincial society. Later I moved into paid-accountable youth ministry. It was only natural that this would remain a strong focus once I found myself ordained and leading congregations.
None of this proved to be adequate preparation for becoming a School Chaplain.
I wished, craved for a resource that would lay out the thinking of someone outside my school bubble. It wasn’t that I wanted to be told what to do. Rather, I desired some point of reference, some idea of what was being done and what might be possible. I especially wanted to hear from colleagues whose schools were shifting their approach to Chapel and Chaplaincy: Which issues were compelling them to take these steps? What questions and processes were guiding their conversations? How were they navigating the conflict that naturally arises when unpacking long-standing assumptions and traditions?
And, most importantly, how was this work impacting the experience of students along the way?
Because my city didn’t have another School Chaplain, it wasn’t until I began attending CSEE events that I connected with colleagues and began to learn what Chaplaincy looks like in other communities. The conversations we shared were inspiring and humbling. I began to understand that along with the usual challenges, my school offered me two great gifts: unusual leeway for experimentation and robust funding for professional development. Over the years, the latter provided an opportunity to extend my network throughout North America and into leading independent schools across the United Kingdom.
Few of our colleagues enjoy this kind of backing. More often, we feel somewhat isolated in our roles, trying to find our place in institutions very different from the church, playing roles very different from that of lead minister, and facing societal shifts that increasingly question the value of our work.
The reflections that follow are my attempt to offer the resource for which I once craved, a collection of observations based on conversations with a wide variety of independent school colleagues. Rather than being received as a prescriptive manual, I hope that these chapters provide a point of reference suggesting areas of exploration and greater possibilities for us all.
Each professional role in which I’ve found myself has been rewarding. At the same time, not one has been quite as meaningful as that of School Chaplain. Whether sitting on the floor to share a wisdom story with five year olds, assisting staff through interpersonal conflicts, or reflecting with senior leadership on policy directions, the work can be incredibly impactful for the individuals and institutions we serve. This, in turn, positions Chaplains to enjoy a remarkable level of professional satisfaction.
Hopefully, this book will assist our wider network of colleagues in unlocking more of the same.
REVIEWS
“This book is a timely and inspiring challenge to chaplains to make our work purposeful and relevant to students in a changing world. Every chaplain will benefit from Keven Fletcher’s research and practical guidance, all shared with his wise and compassionate voice. A must read!”
Amber Stancliffe Evans, Chaplain, Episocopal Day School of St. Matthew, California
“This book made my heart sing! It’s the book I need, wish I had writen, and want to place in the hand of every chaplain as we seek to engage with our institutional contexts and contemporary society. From a wealth of experience, Keven provides both the necessary and accurate diagnosis of the situation, and a positive, inspiring programme for chaplaincy.”
AJ Stark-Ordish, Chaplain, Wellington College, United Kingdom
“Today’s adolescents face rapidly changing – and often unsettling – social, educational, and religious landscapes. While ‘No Longer the Same,’ as Keven Fletcher explains, the role of effective school chaplaincy has never been more deeply needed. Fletcher’s thoroughly researched and compellingly rendered book is an essential guide for helping schools and chaplains meet this need.”
Jere Wells, Former Educational Leadership and Ministry Program Director, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, Connecticut
“No Longer the Same is the pivotal resource and guide I desperately needed throughout my school chaplaincy journey. There has been a significant gap in resources for all chaplains in an educational setting – until now. This book fills the void for new chaplains and offers seasonsed chaplains profound wisdom for reimagining their roles in an evolving, dynamic landscape. From innovative chaplaincy models to redefining chapel services in ways that foster meaningful dialogue – Keven Fletcher has created an essential companion for everyone in the field!”
Katie O’Dunne, Former Chaplain, Woodward Academy, Georgia
Keven Fletcher 